His Butler, Carnaval De Payaso
by Jessaminebell
Summary: Staged directly before Noah's Ark, Sebastian and Ciel investigate a local circus, 'Carnaval De Payaso' in order to understand just what they're getting into. A trapeze act gone wrong leads to much more than they bargained for, and even a murder. Just how will they solve this in the glimmering stage light?
1. Chapter 1

Traveling above the crowd, a lone individual tried his very best to balance himself on the thin rope. His heavy breaths resounded in the hot summer sun, but his auburn eyes lie focused on the stinging his bare feet would receive with each step. It felt as though they were burning, but he knew even a sound from him would result in automatic unbalance, or worse...

His clothing waved back and forth in the breeze, and the mask around his face clung sweat to his brow. A small sob rocked his entire being. If only this torture would end soon.

A royal blue pupil watched from a distance to the man walking at a steady pace back and forth outside of the main tent. His wire was strung to a nearby tower, but it seemed as though he wouldn't retire from his work anytime soon. His bright orange and red clothing contrasted to that of the clear blue sky just behind him. How could he see out of that tight mask covering both his hair and face?

"They showcase acts before the main event?" Ciel mused, eyes drifting towards his butler. His hair shifted slightly in a light breeze, but overall, he was quite toasty. It was the thick of a very warm summer for Great Britain. If only the winter would freeze over such troublesome days.

Sebastian's smirk did not lessen even as his maroon gaze shifted to the tight-rope walker.

"William Pandora. Apparently he's a very gifted tight-rope walker, as well as a trapezist. Rather odd that a gifted man such as him is walking at such a slow speed. If I read correctly, he'll be one of the main acts of today's show." At this remark, the attractive butler rummaged through the small pamphlet they had received upon entering the circus. The rather gaudy yellow dressed and red-nosed clown juggled several balls, highlighting the words, "Carnaval De Payaso" above them.

Ciel could only sigh.

They had arrived at this child's show to investigate roles of a circus performer to offer a bit more insight on the life before trying their hand at Noah's Ark. When had it turned into a tourist visit?

Crowds of people milled about, children ogling the various dressed performers, as well as the man walking several stories up. To be honest, the whole thing seemed to be a mockery of the Earl's intelligence. To think, others had it in their mind that this was entertainment for him. Or, at least someone of his age group. At least Elizabeth hadn't caught wind of the circus in London. Having her here would have driven him absolutely mad.

"Let's hurry up to the main tent already. Hopefully this bore will start soon and we can leave." He placed a foot onto the dirt long shaved of any grass. The grounds of the park were always heavily abused every two years when the circus came to the city. Not only that, the main street the circus used for its parade was always lined with trash by the end of the event. Really, these performers were just a bother.

Ciel glanced forwards, a sudden road-block stopping his step.

A smirk was settled below red and yellow face-painted skin, which, in turn, sat below black locks of flowing hair. The young girl standing before Ciel nearly popped his eyes out of his sockets, mostly on account of her clothes. A colorful skin-tight tank top seemed far too scandalous to be seen in public. Even worse, she wore not a dress, but rubber pants a similar shade to the red and yellow stripes of paint on her face. Just what type of circus were they running!?

Ciel was close to opening his mouth when her black hair swayed in her sudden movements. She gripped her thin calf, raising it into the air.

His mouth could only widen as she lifted the appendage higher and higher before setting it on her shoulder and behind her head. Her bones cracking emitted throughout the scene, but her smirk did not deaden.

The preteen giggled at the gaped mouth the Earl Phantomhive held. Perhaps she still found this usual reaction entertaining.

Nonetheless, the foot she held dropped back to the dirt as if nothing unusual had taken place. Her bare feet pounded past him before her final laugh told the words she most likely said everyday.

"Enjoy the Carvnaval De Payaso!" With this remark, the girl not much younger than Ciel escaped into the crowd now issuing a gasped applause.

A figure in black leaned down to Ciel's position.

"You were saying, sir?" He laughed with an amusement that Ciel could have slapped.

The young Earl let out a small blush before shrugging the butler off. He continued with his steps forward, eyes focused on the tent in the distance.

"Shut up."

* * *

Quite evidently, many others had the same idea as the Lord. They milled about in the stands, laughing and chatting aimlessly in order to stave off the boredom before the show would begin. The murmur of their voices filled the tent, yet the circular center remained uninhabited by anyone. Ciel assumed this to be the center stage, but it seemed rather odd for the main-point of the show to be lower than the stands the audience would sit to. Maybe this was the norm, though.

In this large center, a draped wire lie strewn across the top of the tent. It seemed several stories higher than that of the altitude the tight-rope walker had been overcoming. To be anywhere near such a thing ran a cold chill down Ciel's back. To think the performer would be trapezing back and forth from the two ends seemed impossible. Just how crazy were these people?

The duo found a rather empty row to sit themselves in, but that solitude soon left as other filled the empty area. Soon enough, the entire space around the stage was filled with screaming children and chattering adults. However, the constant hum of the crowd died down soon enough as a lone man made him towards the middle of the stage.

The lights around them dimmed, a certain hush calming the children and focusing their small attention spans to the man dressed in rather odd clothing.

The lone individual held a rather tall hat to his head, hiding any greasy hair that he may have. His red red jacket lie spotted in yellow dots, narrowing Ciel's eyes in annoyance. Just how gaudy could they get?

"Welcome one and all to the Carnaval De Payaso, London's finest traveling circus!" His young voice bounced throughout the room, the microphone extending the sound. He laughed, eyes sparkling in the awe of the surrounding crowd.

"For our first act, we present Francine, the lion tamer! We implore you to hold your applause until the very end, as the animal is very sensitive to any noise!" And didn't that just make Ciel want to clap his very heart out?

The Earl sighed, holding his head up with a bored knuckle.

"How exactly is this supposed to help us with Noah's Ark? I thought we were masquerading as ignorant fools, not experienced performers." Even though his words hinted of boredom, his royal blue pupil never left from the center stage. It skimmed across the exotic animal, as well as the beautiful woman sticking her head into its mouth. Perhaps the boy leaned just a tad closer to the wall separating him and the stage in that moment, but Sebastian decided it would be best not to state such a thing.

"Yes, well, it wouldn't be too horrible to understand exactly what we're getting into. And, My Lord.." He sighed shaking his head.

"It's not as though you have very many wondrous talents that would wow anyone-"

"And when did you decide this!?" His glare flashed back to the butler in an instant, showing any anger he may hold. It was in this instant that another loud rumble of clapping began. They both turned back towards the center of the tent.

The lion previously standing in the middle now bounded next to the tamer called Francine. They walked out of the circle of light directed to the announcer, and he continued to speak in loud booms that often left him out of breath.

"Let's be glad the old girl hadn't skipped out on dinner!" He laughed loudly, adding another glare from Ciel. Such stupid humor only appealed to the children giggling around him.

"And for our next act..."

The light projected directly on the man disappeared, sending the entire tent into absolute darkness. Worried cries of children filled the area for a time that felt to be several minutes. Ciel couldn't truly be sure, as a single light flickered on, yet this time, it was in the top of the tent.

Standing at one of the towers was a single man. However, Ciel was quickly able to recognize him from his outfit alone.

"William Pandora." He stated bluntly, realizing the main event of the circus was to be begin any second.

Even without visual aid to the man in the middle of the stage, his booming voice narrated William's moves towards the hanging rope. He gripped the material tightly, heavy breaths visible as they inflated his chest.

"And now for what you're all been waiting for! The all-gifted and incredibly talented, William Pandora! Unveil Pandora's box and find out its mysteries as you watch him glide through the air like a sparrow!" With this, a silence was issued throughout the tent. They all watched with bated breath as the performer stepped closer and closer to the edge of his tower.

With no time left to pause, William took a leap off of his safe footing. His body glided through the air as a fast pace, the rope swinging along. Just as he had been described, he gave off the appearance of a flying sparrow.

A rather odd noise filled the sound of the tent just at that moment. Without any voices, it was very easy to hear this noise. At first, Ciel couldn't tell just what it was. Only when he saw the body of William Pandora falling far out of the reaches of any safe distance did he realize just what the noise had been.

It was the noise of the rope snapping.

The man flailed in the air hopelessly, his landing area being directly where the leader of the show had been standing. William Pandora fell like a dead sparrow into the darkened area of the stage, breaking the wooden planks used as ground for the tent. The silence that had started upon his descent continued as the individuals were left wondering if this was part of the act.

Silence.

Several minutes passed, and still no one had been able to regain any lost breath. It seemed all at once when the shouting and screaming began. A very fast uproar came from the bolting individuals. They tried their best to shove each other out of the tent, but the entrance had long been shut.

Ciel wasted no time in his decision. He bolted from his seat as well, but his hand found only the edge of the wall. He took a glance back to Sebastian with a slight smirk on his face.

"You did say to find out how a circus worked, did you not? Well, here's our perfect chance." And he hopped the wall to the infinite darkness of the stage below.


	2. Chapter 2

It seemed that a quiet darkness had enveloped the entire tent. The loud noise of the stomping crowd disappeared as Sebastian and Ciel advanced further forwards, filled only with the occasional shuffle of boards. Ciel could only assume the performers had gathered around the body to inspect the impossible act they had just witnessed. Were they shocked? Scared?

Furthermore, that rope had snapped far too randomly. Was it a simple malfunction? He seriously doubted. Something such as that would have been checked and checked again in order to avoid failure. Something stranger had to be going on. Curiosity was a horrible thing.

The emptiness occurring in his ears was soon replaced with low voices. No doubt, the performers, Ciel knew.

The darkness hid the boy and his butler from the workers, and they remained ignorant to their existence as their voices swelled with worry.

"What do we do!? It's right in the middle of a show!" A girl yelled, her voice breaking with anxiety. Her small sobs rocked through the air, creeping Ciel's foot forward to gain a better spot.

"Calm down. It's not like this hasn't happened before. We just do what we did two years ago. Does everyone remember?"

Ciel's eyes narrowed.

_Something like this has happened before? I don't recall hearing of any trapeze acts quite like this two years ago. _Then again, he was in quite an odd state two years prior. Most of any events, no matter how large, had probably been tucked deeply in a place he could never quite reach.  
"Yeah, I remember... How could any of us forget?"

"You better address those still left in the audience, Show." The man speaking grunted rather loudly, hinting as though he was lifting a rather heavy object. His voice seemed to fade, as did the steps from the others.

"We don't need to have another incident to take care of, you hear?"

_All that they are saying is only raising more questions. Something more is going on here. _Ciel stooped to the ground to make himself almost disappear. The lights would be coming on soon for the announcer to address the audience. Either he needed a place to hide, or they needed to follow the rest of the performers without being seen. Either option seemed risky.

"This way, My Lord." Sebastian's voice cut through the darkness as a silent whisper, a hand guiding his master's back gently. The two glided past the man in charge of voicing the show, making sure to stay as far as possible from his wandering ears. Ciel couldn't truly be sure if his acts at this time were illegal, but his curiosity willed him to go further towards the ultimate goal.

_They're hiding something, aren't they? _

It was only when the two males were behind several crates did the lights flash back to the ringleader. His blonde locks previously hidden below his black top hat were now revealed to the shine of the circular light overhead. His blue eyes seemed to sparkle, despite the falling sparrow just minutes earlier.

"Calm down, ladies and gentlemen! May I have your attention? For our show is far from over!" His booming voice seemed to distract those still left in the stands. Their eyes shot towards his handsome figure, and he flashed another white smile for the pupils.

"It seems there has been a misunderstanding! Let me reveal to you, William Pandora, alive and well!" At this statement, Ciel's eyes flashed backwards. He positioned himself on the crate carefully, making sure he was not easily seen.

As true as the ringleader had stated, a man wearing the clothes of the trapezist emerged from the wreckage. His appearance willed a sigh of relief from all those watching. They seemed to return to their seats, as the immediate threat of death had disappeared.

The man with a pitch-black microphone chuckled slightly.

"I suppose our cruel joke wasn't to your liking! I promise our Pandora's box is still very well alive and breathing!"

Sebastian's body loomed slightly above Ciel's, though he seemed less than interested.

"Is that truly William Pandora? How could someone survive a fall from that height?" He whispered, eye flashing back to his butler.

Sebastian's maroon gaze narrowed to the performers.

"A human could never hope to survive a fall from so high, My lord." He sighed slightly, almost as if he were disappointed.

Ciel's pupils widened.

"So you mean-"

"Of course not." He chuckled lowly, a smile spreading to his lips. Sebastian glanced back over to the fake.

"They switched his clothes with a man of equal height and build, though not quite exact. William Pandora has an unusually tall height of 175 centimeters while this man can only compare with 165 centimeters. Granted, it's something a normal eye couldn't really see, but I was able to pick it up rather easily."

The glare Ciel gave him would have been able to cut through steel if it were any sharper. He shook his head slightly as his body strode silently backwards.

"Let's just find the other performers."

"Of course, My Lord."

* * *

"Weaving in the darkness of the carnival tents are two strangers. Though the small child isn't particularly gifted in anyway, his extremely able butler would be able to fit right into such a strange and peculiar circus. His sleek body maneuvering through the blackness, cutting through it like a knife through a salmon's abdomen, what can this man not do?" The slight laughing of a child willed a strange look to be given to her.

"And what are you going on about, Eve?" The other child asked, her green eyes glancing from her limbs and up to her slightly older counterpart.

The girl wonder sat to her chair rather calmly, a calm smile to her face, even as her legs lie around her shoulders. Her black hair fell rather generously around her feet, its fluffy appearance billowing out in huge volume.

"Oh, nothing, Es. We just have new guests. Not just any guests, though." She unwrapped her legs from her neck. She strode swiftly to the sitting child, her green eyes narrowing to look into the similar shade of Es'. Her hands worked their way over to the nearby rack of clothes. She carefully picked out a sheet of yellow cloth, and bringing it under her chin, she acted as though a scarf now wrapped around her neck. Perhaps in the child's mind, this was a sign of elegance, as her voice exploded into Es' ears.

"Presenting the wonderful, the intelligent, the Earl Phantomhive!"


	3. Chapter 3

Darkness long brought in by the fading sun had covered both the boy and his butler in an inescapable black. They waded through these thick shadows, following only the path the very able butler had tracked the voices towards. It was only when they approached a lit tent did they soften their steps and hush their voices to a mere whisper.

"Are you sure they're in this tent?" Ciel asked, crouching behind Sebastian as if the tall figure would hide both of them.

The demon nodded, glancing towards the ground.

"Yes, I am. Listen closely." He hushed his master, eyes closing to better focus onto the gruff voice.

"God damn it. Where the hell is William? What the hell is going on here?" A voice yelled angrily.

_Did they lose the body?_

Ciel approached even closer, his hand running light fingers to the tent's cloth. Only when the shuffle of boots grew louder did he react.

"Sir, he's coming. Come here, quickly." Sebastian wrapped an arm around the waist of his young Lord. With a small pull, he managed to hide the both of them behind a nearby stack of crates. They peered from above, watching as the flap of the tent lifted up.

A rather imposing looking man appeared, his steps heavy on the ground. Ciel supposed him to be the strongman mentioned several times in the brochures. How many Kilos could he lift again? Wasn't it around 180? It seemed nearly matching the intimidating man's weight.

"Where the hell is Eve when you need her?" He sighed, furrowing his thick black eyebrows. This ruffled his dark hair, and he scratched the sweaty locks. It was obvious in his appearance that he had been worrying about the incident happening several minutes ago. Nonetheless, this burly individual trotted off, leaving the duo alone.

"Come on." Ciel emerged from his hiding spot, his light foots clearly contrasting to the new face long disappeared. He took no time in lifting the tent flap and worming his way into the lit room.

It was a spacious tent kept alight by several oil lamps that smelled slightly sweet. Boxes were piled all around, almost as if they had forgotten to unpack some equipment for the show. However, none of this captivated Ciel's attention more than the elevated sheet sitting unevenly on the ground. He didn't need to lift the red-stained fabric to know just what it contained.

Even so, Ciel found himself straying just a bit too close to the body.

_What was he going on about? The body is right here._

His delicate fingers pinched the end of the sheet, and it took the boy several seconds to build up enough nerve to remove it from the cold carcass.

Royal blue eyes widened in curiosity. He loomed closer, mouth gaping at the performer, his mask now torn off and at his side. This face contorted to horror etched in the Phantomhive's mind, along with a very strange fact.

William Pandora, the Pandora's conundrum's released, had his face painted everywhere. It was on posters flying on the street, or even obscure bulletin boards. He was the main show of the circus and a small dream of every child to see live. Looking down, Ciel could only think one thing of this dead individual.

This wasn't William Pandora.


	4. Chapter 4

Ciel's revelation only earned him a dark shadow from behind. The light around him dimmed as he realized just who this menacing shadow now covering him could be.

"So Eve was right, eh? We do have a 'wonderful' noble comin' ta visit." A gruff voice he had heard not too long ago now puffed hot breath into his ear.

Lord Phantomhive froze, his hand releasing the cloth he had still held into the air. His eyes widened as his entire body tensed.

He had been caught, hadn't he? And where was Sebastian? Hadn't he been several steps ahead of the Lord not too long ago? The boy never felt so small as this moment, especially with the man leaning heavy weight onto him from behind.

Summoning his courage, Ciel squeezed his fists. He straightened his posture and narrowed his eyes down. The young boy turned slowly to face the strongman whom he could have sworn had long left the tent he had barged into. It was only when the looming piece of flesh stood intimidatingly close to him that Ciel could see his assumption was misplaced.

A smile sat to the face of the man Ciel had seen many times next to the bolded words 'Stronger Than a Lion's Bite!.' He only wished now he had not read those fliers so intently. With those dark green eyes staring down, it seemed as though a lion's bite would be preferable to a punch from this guy.

Crowley Roe was another main attraction of the carnival, though probably a little less popular than William Pandora. After all, a gliding sparrow seemed a bit more entertaining than watching a grown man lift a horse. Though, Ciel doubted anyone would have the guts to say that to this man's face.

Another large swallow tried to will saliva to Ciel's dry mouth, yet he remained without any liquid.

"I-"

"Earl Phantomhive!" The loud scream of a girl shook any remaining nerves Ciel might have. Indeed, that scream even shook the bodybuilder just a bit. He darted his hunter green eyes to the tent flap flying open.

Royal blue pupils tried to focus on the body moving swiftly towards his, but the individual proved too quick for even him to react. He landed to the ground with another lighter individual now weighing him down.

Ciel cringed, his eyes drifting to the girl lying on top of him. It only took a moment for her to whip her head and for him to recognize the black hair and green eyes full of so much excitement.

"You're..!" It was the strangely dressed girl whom had showcased her even weirder contortionist abilities. Without offering even a name, she had run off to places unknown. Just how did she know his name?

She laughed loudly, nodding.

It was only now that she was still and not crazily running around that Ciel could place a name to her face. Sure, she wasn't all that well-known throughout the circus, and she didn't show up on many brightly coloured posters, but she did possess a wonderfully strange talent.

The Wonder Child, Evelyn Mirai. Able to contort herself to fit into a miniature suitcase, none have found something she cannot squeeze into. With her slightly younger counterpart, Esmerelda, she wows the crowd with her charm and fantastically strange abilities.

That very same person now called the Earl by name and title, even as he had never spoken a word to her. She laughed wildly once more, eyes widening at the boy.

"I've waited so very long, Earl! And you too, Sebastian! No need to be shy!" She turned her head to the shadows the black butler had hidden himself in. With his cover blown by a mere girl, the devil slipped from his area. He smirked, narrowing his eyes in a questioning gaze.

"I'm afraid we haven't met before, yet you know both mine and my master's names." He stated rather plainly with a hand extending towards her.

Evelyn grabbed this hand to allow her thin body passage into the air. With her off, Ciel was finally able to sit up. It was only when a burly hand extended towards him did he remember Crowley's presence.

"Eve's not only a contortionist, actually. She can see the future. She's been raving about you for weeks, Earl." Crowley hooked a tight grip onto Ciel's hand, pulling him up and nearly forward onto the ground again.

The Earl recovered with a rather nervous smile.

"Y-You don't say?"

_She knows who I am? But how could that be possible? A psychic? I had thought they were only tricksters over analyzing every part of a sap's body in order to tell a vague fortune. _

Evelyn gripped her hands loosely in front of her, a faint smile directed towards the Earl. It was a sentimental look that only a friend would be comfortable giving. Only a person whom had known another deeply and thoroughly. Her deep green eyes conveyed a feeling of friendship, and even a bit of sympathetic understanding. Just how much did she know?

"What are you lot doing!? We have to figure this out! We need to-" Another much older voice than Eve's came bustling into the tent, her tone frantic and nervous. It was only when she spotted the strangers did she stop her ranting.

Bursting onto the scene was a woman Ciel and Sebastian had caught a glimpse of many minutes before. The beautiful lion tamer called Francine had no justice done to her looks by the harsh spotlight, for hers was a gentle and tame beauty, just as her profession was.

Light golden hair streamed down to her chest with nay a snag in the straight locks. Her ivory skin was puffed at her bosom from the rather revealing corset type-shirt she wore, but it only added in her thin structure. Long eyelashes blinked over shining blue eyes. Just by her slightly red cheeks, one could tell she had been crying. Perhaps the events that had transpired had been far out of her range of comfort. She still held her whip in hand, but this instrument dropped to the ground as she spotted the two strangers.

Evelyn rushed up to the woman, a smile stuck across her face.

"Oh, Franny, it's wonderful! Earl Phantomhive is finally here! He's going to help us figure out who took Will's place in the trapeze! Aren't you excited?" She giggled wildly, almost as if she were in the presence of a celebrity.

Ciel shook his head.

"And when did I-"

"Sir." Sebastian interrupted.

This act only whipped the Earl's attention back to her slowly approaching servant. Sebastian knelt to share a whisper with his master.

"I believe it would be wise to follow this girl's lead. If you wish to satisfy your curiosity, her excitement may fuel the others to accept you. Just go along with her little game to find our killer." He finished with a slight smile that showed all the slyness of his ideas.

Franny shook her head harshly, almost with anger.

"Letting an outsider help would only complicate things, Eve. And he's not even equipped to-"

"I assure you, my lady, I'm quite equipped to deal with anything this little circus has to offer." Ciel once again gathered all the pupils towards him. He tucked his arms behind his back, showcasing the smirk now appearing to his face.

"As the Queen's Watch Dog, I have dealt with more than enough death to know this was not a simple accident. Something stranger has transpired in these tents, and I intend to bring the guilty party to the light. That is, if you'll let this little puppy nip at your coattails." He smiled sweetly, though Francine could see him as anything but sweet. She narrowed her eyes questioningly.

However, Eve saw this gesture as anything but unpleasant. She rushed to Ciel's side, perhaps not noticing his fake expression of happiness.

"I knew he was everything I had seen he was! And you all didn't believe me! Maybe we can actually get some things down now! What should we do, Earl Phantomhive?" She placed all trust into the boy she eyed with bright green eyes.

Ciel kept the smile that started to burn his lips still high.

"Perhaps we should pay William Pandora a visit. Where is his tent?"

Francine seemed to be going along with the young boy's investigation, as she let out a rather large sigh, accompanied by several words.

"William doesn't have a tent. Because he's so 'fragile' and 'important' to the circus, he's taken one of the permanent buildings around the circus' edge. The ones that have real flooring. I tried knocking on the door after everything that happened, but he wouldn't answer. When I tried to open the door, it was locked and it felt like something was stuck under it, like a chair. That's where I just was, actually." She crossed her arms as her thin body leaned against Crowley's. Perhaps she saw him as a sort of brick wall. He had the stature for it, anyway.

"I could try my hand at it." Sebastian mused with a light smirk, almost as if it was a joke that he was saying. After all, there wasn't much that he couldn't do. A little lock and jammed door seemed like a toothpick.

Ciel nodded, taking a step towards the flap of the tent the two performers stood in front of.

"Alright. Let's go."


	5. Chapter 5

Through the dark and twisting twilight strolled three circus performers, as well as an Earl and his trusted servant. They waded in the sickening shadows the tents would cast, hopefully avoiding the swaying fabric with each harsh blow of the wind.

Evelyn walked at a steady pace, her face never lifting, as she strolled with the aristocrat she had foretold coming. Ciel would notice her glance every once in a while, but she would quickly dart her green eyes back to the path ahead of them. He couldn't quite tell what she was thinking, but it seemed innocent enough. Finally, when the twisting trees around them shook the atmosphere too over edge, the Earl spoke.

"Evelyn," He caught her attention, nearly scaring her to death with the sudden and tough word. She recovered quickly enough to glance back his way.

"Yes, Earl?" She giggled slightly, sweet eyes waiting for his every word.

Ciel couldn't quite bring himself to face her. Just what was her angle? Why did she look at him like that when they had never met before? It was unnerving.

Despite his uneasiness of her actions, he decided it best not to ask anything of it. He instead focused on a subject more relevant to the case at hand.

"I overheard the others speaking of an incident similar to this happening before. Is that true? Did another trapezist fall? I don't recall reading anything of it."

Through the darkness, Ciel could see the smile on Evelyn's face drop. It turned sad and seemed to contain a high degree of regret. The melancholy smile she forced turned back towards him.

"Well, like this time, he wasn't really a trapezist. His name was Daniel, and to be honest, he wasn't really a performer at all. He was just... Big Daniel. That's what everyone called him. Even though he was just eight years older than me, the youngest performer, everyone looked up to him and regarded him as just... Mature. He had a certain aura around him that made others respect him instantly." She sighed, hands twiddling in front of her. This was obviously an uncomfortable subject for her.

Ciel couldn't really care less, though.

"You sound like you knew him rather personally."

Eve nodded.

"Before I was in the circus, I was at an orphanage. I don't really remember my parents, and I'm not sure what happened to them. Anyway, that's where I met Daniel. I wasn't really the most sociable person, and no one really talked to me. Because of that, I was pretty much alone for the first five years I stayed there. It all changed when Dan came. It seemed like it only took a second for us to find each other. Even though he was fifteen and I was seven, I found myself only being able to connect with him." Evelyn smiled faintly.

"He was my brother. He talked and cared for me like no one else in that horrible place did. For once in my life, I wasn't alone. I think the only reason I survived for those years is because he was there.

"Two years passed and Daniel decided enough was enough. He hated it there. He hated the poor conditions the orphanage was in, he hated the children, and most of all, he hated that this was his only option. We ran away, not really knowing where we were going, or what we were doing. When we arrived to the center streets of London, we found it."

The green in her eyes sparkled as she locked contact with Ciel.

"That's where we found the Carnaval De Payaso. It was beautiful. The parade covered the streets in bright confetti of colors that I had never seen before. The music coming from the center bounced off nearby buildings to build a sound that brought tears to my eyes. I looked over to Daniel and saw an intense burning in his pupils. He didn't really show all that emotion, but that was as raw as it got. We both knew that this was the only place we could ever call home. We eventually convinced the nice old man to let us join, and it stayed very nice for two long years. I had never seen Daniel smile so much as in those two years."

_However, nothing good ever lasts. _Ciel thought to himself, reflecting on that very true sentiment. How many times had it described his life perfectly? How many times did he have a situation where those cruel words could be spoken, just to ruin what little fake fun he might be having?

"It was a really big show night. We're a traveling circus, and we actually come to London once every two years. Kind of ironic, I suppose. Anyway, London is always the most busy show of them all. It was right around then that we learned William Pandora was ill. He could barely stand, let-alone do his act. Everyone always looks forward to the trapeze, and the show would be ruined without it. We decided to go ahead with the other acts, hoping we wouldn't anger the audience too much. We were just getting to my act when the lights of the trapeze turned on. I couldn't believe what was happening. William Pandora stood in his brightly coloured clothes and skin-tight mask, ready to do his act! He saved the show just by braving through it all." Eve's head began to shake slowly.

"When he swung, something seemed wrong. It wasn't like all the practicing I had seen him do, and the technique was horrible. His grip on the handle was misplaced, and it seemed as though it would slip off at any time. That's what it did. He fell down through the exact pit in the ground as the man did tonight. I mean, there wasn't the wooden planks over it like before, but the sound... I was right there and heard everything. The screams and shrieks started so quickly that everything was a blur. The lights shut off and I stumbled to the body, unsure what to do. I removed the mask and..." The smile on her face dropped. She avoided the royal blue eyes giving her a quizzical stare.

"Daniel didn't want the show to be ruined. He had helped William a lot with his act, and he thought seeing was all there was to it. He just... He just didn't want the circus to die. That was how he always was. He thought of these drastic things to do, and he never told anyone about them. Once he was set on something, there was nothing to stop him."

Evelyn took a few quick strides ahead of the group, her eyes glancing back with the last of her tale. A small smile settled to her lips.

"Actually, he reminds me a lot of you, Earl." With these words, she took a place next to Francine, her bobbing figure small in the darkness surrounding the company.


	6. Chapter 6

The house William Pandora had taken as his own stood in the midst of grand oaks. These towering trees covered the square building in a shadow darker than the clouds covering the moon could craft. They swayed against the streams of the wind, seeming as though they would crush the small house in just a huge gush of air. This scenary could make anyone uncomfortable, including our Earl, but the performers seemed unshaken by the house. They approached, Evelyn leading with her usual smile. She approached a window, green eyes widening to see past the glass.

"Hm... Do you think he's really in there? The lights are off." She concluded, stepping down from her position.

Ciel gave a small shrug.

"Whether or not he's in there, we're investigating. He was supposed to be on the trapeze, but someone replaced him. He's connected to this somehow." His royal blue eyes shifted towards Sebastian, giving him an unsaid order.

The butler seemed to understand, as he approached the door, and giving it a small pull, he realized it was locked. Sebastian knelt to the ground, his hand reaching towards his pocket. Evelyn's interest was piqued by this, and she stepped towards him. As she grew closer, the sound of her cracking bones became evident. It was quite some time ago that Ciel had realized the strange noises he would hear every so often were indeed coming from the eleven-year-old girl. They were various pops, snaps, and mostly cracks. Her occupation didn't seem to be doing her joints any good.

"What are you doing?" Eve asked, her leg creeping around her shoulders again. She was truly eccentric in the way she could pose so strangely and unexpectantly, yet still remain nonchalant about it. This time was no exception. However, Sebastian went unfazed.

"I am picking the lock. It's a simple one, so I won't have you waiting long, miss." He reassured with the proper formality.

His answer gave Eve a strange look. She cocked her head.

"But why would you do that?" She asked, moving several feet away from the pacing man.

Sebastian slid from the pathway of the door, his hand reaching towards the small pin he had dropped.

"So we can-"

It was at that moment that a noise loud enough to send any child into screams sounded behind the butler. It was a strange sound, almost like a mixture of a ram slamming into a wall and an exasperated shout from a man. It took the frozen butler several seconds to build up the courage to turn around.

The door he had meant to quickly unlock without those around him noticing had been rammed off of its hinges and broken into several pieces not by any machienery or animal, but a mere man. Crowely sat in the doorway of the house, a smirk facing the butler.

Sebastian couldn't help but notice the slight gape his master held. At least he wasn't the only one shocked of the sudden actions by these strange individuals.

Francine waltz into the building, lacking any sort of reaction or gratitude towards her fellow performer. Perhaps this was the usual sort of business that went on in this establishment. Either way, the butler found it best to lightly push his master into the building, as the boy seemed still rather out of it.

_They're crazy. They're all crazy. _Ciel shook his head, stepping into the blackened building.

Francine held the single lamp in her head towards the darkness of the building, suceeding in illuminating only small bits and corners. She let out a gruff sigh before fumbling forward.

"Where's the damn candles..?" It took the lion tamer several moments to locate the stick of wax resposible for keeping the scene in light.

The darkness responsible for blinding this small group began to melt away. The descent was slow at first, but the ultimate light drove away the black casting a shadow on the situation. Perhaps when the flame flickered to reveal the crimson, Francine felt just a bit of guilt for doing so.

"Oh my god-!" Her quick breaths were covered only by her hand clamping over her blue-stained lips. Her azul eyes widened quickly, reflecting the breath-taking image reflected in the large pools.

Sitting against the pristine white walls of this building overcast in oak trees was the famous William Pandora, Sparrow piercing through the wind and uncovering all of the natural beauty's secrets. His eyes stared forward, a certain deadness reflecting that of a suffocated carp. They were widened beyond belief, as if a certain terror had gripped him before his death.

And what a death.

The white walls and floor of this building that had been kept pure for this famous man had been soiled for what seemed like many hours. A thick red pooled from his throat, spilling down to his expensive suit. His undershirt didn't seem as though it was never any color but a dark red.

Streaks of this sickening liquid had been thrown to his cheeks, streaming down with the tears of pain this man had shed.

Evelyn's eyes reflected a similar horror as Francine's, but any staring she might have done was whisked away by Crowley. He placed himself in front of the child to preserve any innocence she may have left from such a scene. His pupils turned towards Sebastian, conveying a message the butler could only reflect with a nod.

"Come now, Eve."

The strong man withdrew from the room, the young child in tow. Even if they had not been related by blood, he could not allow such a happy-go-lucky child to witness something so horrible. Evelyn faced forward, her feet forced by the quickly retreating Crowley. Try as she might to glance back, the performer would not move his body.

"B-but Will.. He's... He's..." Her cries disappeared as her image faded back into the black of the night.

The lion tamer swallowed hard.

"B-but I don't understand. Why would someone kill Will only to die of their own inexperience? It doesn't make any sense."

Ciel heard the chatter of this strange woman grow softer, his eye focusing only on the body in front of him. He studied closely, pupil flitting to his clothes, his face, his stab marks. The boy knelt to the ground, kneeling into the body.

Francine felt just a bit of discomfort in this. How could someone- a child, no less, look at this body with no emotion? Not only that, what was that glint of interest in his eye? How did he study it so closely, feeling nothing but a lead or a clue? What was wrong with him?

"I have to go outside." She sighed heavily, her dinner threatening to come loose. Her quick heels resounded on the ground to join the others. With one distraction gone, Ciel's mind emptied. He focused back to the body.

_Four separate wounds inflicted quickly to the body. _

Sebastian wandered throughout the room, examining various odds and ends. A light smirk worked its way to his lips as he replied to his master's thoughts.

"How can you tell they were quick? Why didn't he let the sparrow suffer?" He flipped a hat in his hands, eyeing the quick stitch work. It wasn't of the highest quality, that was for sure.

Ciel narrowed his eyes, tracing to the streaks of blood on the man's face. His hands reached forward to a similar position the murdered must have took. He reenacted the incident, hands driving down to William's abdoemen.

_The blood on his face. When the murderer reared his hands back up to stab him again, the blood on the knife dropped to his face. If it were slow, the blood would have pooled and remained to his stomach. One thing can be concluded of the killer._

Sebastian set the black piece of clothing back to the shelf. He turned his smile to his master.

"And what would that be, sir?"

Ciel took his time to face his butler. He took a deep breath, reflecting his conclusions.

"The killer held a grudge against William Pandora. He first slit the man's throat, but decided that this action was not enough. A small fight ensued, but with the trapezist's wound, he stood no match to the man. He fell down here, clutching his throat as he is now. The killer straddled him, bringing the knife upwards and driving it quickly down four separate times. This was when Willaim Pandora died, most likely due to blood loss."

He breathed back the words he had spewed into the air, quite content with the information he had presented the demon.

Sebastian's smirk deepened.

"Very good show, My Lord. However, there are a few things you have missed." The butler strode past the boy, directing his attention to the nearby wall stained with yet more crimson.

"Willaim Pandora was most likely downed here, across from the window. The killer found this position too visible, and judging by the streaks of blood on the wall and floor, we can conclude he dragged the body to it's position now in order to exact the death he believed William Pandora deserved. We're not dealing with just any random and unccordinated murders. This was planned, down to the last hair. Speaking of which, notice the scene around us."

Ciel glanced around half-assedly, figuring he would be told of what he was supposed to see.

Sure enough, his very capable butler was happy to explain everything as if he were speaking to an incompetent child. That was how he usually felt, anyway.

"Not a trace of the killer has been left. Not a hair. He even took the murder weapon with him. We're not dealing with a novice. I'd say, based on these facts, his hatred of William, careful planning, and information on the trapezist's house, the killer is a performer. Here at the circus."

Ciel nodded to this, agreeing. All information they had gathered pointed towards that one fact.

"Hatred of William isn't exactly a rare thing at this circus."

The master and butler turned their heads to the sudden statement coming from the door. This woman had left not so long ago, but she seemed to have her stomach under control. She approached the coat rack of the building, grabbing a black overcoat.

"William was not the most pleasant man to be with, especially alone. He was absorbed with his title and recognition for his performances. He thought nothing of others and only himself." Despite the words and cold eyes, Francine approached the bloody corpse. The side of her mouth twitched in disgust.

"And the sleaze had eyes for Evelyn even though he's thirty somthin'. Big Dan had to watch him like a hawk, and after he died, Crowley had to break him from her on several occasions. Good riddance." With a solid motion, the lion-tamer positioned the overcoat to hide the body. She spent no further time dwelling on the man she deemed rather low.

"Shall we head back to the fake acrobat? We didn't really give him a good lookabout, and I don't want Eve hanging around here."

The woman did not wait for either of the males to answer. She strolled out once again with usual cold eyes.  
Sebastian and Ciel took this moment to follow her. There was no use in hanging around with a man with carp eyes. Ciel couldn't really fish any compliments for his appearance, either.

Evelyn stood alone outside the door, eyes trailing to the ground. Her green pupils slowly worked their way to Ciel, giving him only a sad smile.

"Hello, Earl. Have you found anything?" The silent begging hidden in her voice shook as the group once again began their walk into the darkness.

"Evelyn, did your brother and William Pandora get along very well?" He ignored the question to focus upon his own. This took Evelyn off-guard for the moment. She quickly regained her usual smile, but a hint of nervousness arose suspicion in the Earl.

"Well, they didn't really talk all that much, I think. Daniel was that way with a lot of the performers. He didn't enjoy getting involved in useless topics or small talk. But with William, he seemed to really be hostile towards. He never let Will be alone with me or even look in my direction." She smiled.

"He was really protective, but that's just Daniel for you. He always looked out for me first."

Ciel nodded, eyes tracing over the various shrubs highlighted only by the occasional ray of the moon.

"I see."


	7. Chapter 7

Just as the young Phantomhive had done before, he approached the body with no obvious apprehension. Many had mistaken the strange calmness in his eye for comfort, stating his heartlessness or cold heart. They couldn't really be more wrong. The empty stare he held to the corpses he would encounter was anything but acceptance.

It was silent and painful recollection.

Ciel had seen the white skin and blue lips more times over than he would like to admit. His parents. His friends. Himself.

If he could not remain with his usual distance, how could he hope to contain the true hysteria he had suppressed for so long? How could he ignore the voices constantly poking and prodding him from the back of his mind? How could he ignore their screams? How?

No, he could never hope to do such a thing.

So he moved far, far away to a place no one could ever hope to reach him. Where no one could hear his shouts or pleas. It was better that way. He could exact his revenge swiftly, leaving no one behind that truly cared to cry for his departure. After all, he wouldn't cry if they happened to leave this world before him.

Or maybe that was just what he tried to convince himself.

Ciel's eye refocused from his thoughts and back to the replacement performer.

With his mask removed and the Lord able to gaze at his leisure, he found many definable features.

Soft blonde hair hung in clumps of sweat and blood. The very same crimson streamed from an unseen wound just above his hairline. No doubt the trauma he had received from the fall that had ultimately killed him. Strangely enough, another scar was present to this man. It was a thin slash going across his cheek and stopping nearly to his ear.

Ciel reached his hand to the man's closed eyes. He lifted the eyelid, revealing a brown pupil. With this young man's face now in full view, Ciel gave himself a contorted expression. He sat back on the ground, eye tracing over the body.

"What is it, My Lord?" Sebastian asked. He loomed over his master, handing the boy a steaming cup of tea. It was a rather cheap brand, but that was the best this circus could provide.

Ciel sipped at his beverage slowly.

"I know this man." He stated plainly, going for another thoughtful drink. Ciel narrowed his stare, memories mixing in his mind.

"I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting him." Sebastian interjected. Though, if the butler stated he had never met him, Ciel knew he was good to his word. However, it would strange if the servant _had _known the noble.

"And evidently, you never shall. He was a friend of the late Vincent Phantomhive for a short time. I had only met him once. The Viscount Abbot Gough. I've heard from Elizabeth that he's recently had children. I never would have expected him to be the fake trapezist."

To be honest, this revelation had the Earl thrown in a loop. From everything he had learned from his fiance, this family was rather honest and unassuming. She visited the recently born child on several occasions, never stopping from conveying the words 'cute' and 'adorable' several hundred times over. She had even invited Ciel to come along, but god knows he would never accept such an invitation.

"So we have one question we need an answer to." Sebastian placed a thoughtful knuckle to his lips.

"Who and why did someone at this circus wanted him dead?"


End file.
